“We who use words enjoy a pecuÂliar privÂiÂlege over our felÂlows,” says RudÂyard Kipling in this rare filmed speech. “We canÂnot tell a lie. HowÂevÂer much we may wish to do so, we only of eduÂcatÂed men and women canÂnot tell a lie–in our workÂing hours. The more subÂtly we attempt it, the more cerÂtainÂly do we betray some aspect of truth conÂcernÂing the life of our age.”
The speech was givÂen on July 12, 1933 at ClarÂidge’s Hotel in LonÂdon, durÂing a lunÂcheon of the RoyÂal SociÂety of LitÂerÂaÂture for visÂitÂing memÂbers of the CanaÂdiÂan Authors’ AssoÂciÂaÂtion. Kipling was 67 years old at the time. The text of the speech (which you can open and read in a new winÂdow) was pubÂlished in a posthuÂmous ediÂtion of A Book of Words.
RudÂyard Kipling was one of the most celÂeÂbratÂed EngÂlish writÂers of the late VicÂtoÂriÂan era. HenÂry James once said, “Kipling strikes me perÂsonÂalÂly as the most comÂplete man of genius (as disÂtinct from fine intelÂliÂgence) that I have ever known.” In 1907 he was awardÂed the Nobel Prize in LitÂerÂaÂture. As a proÂlifÂic author of short stoÂries, poetÂry, and novÂels, Kipling was the foreÂmost chronÂiÂcler of the British coloÂnial expeÂriÂence.
But as the British Empire fadÂed in the 20th cenÂtuÂry, so too did Kipling’s litÂerÂary standÂing. His works for chilÂdren, includÂing The JunÂgle Book and Just So StoÂries (see below), are still wideÂly enjoyed, but much of his othÂer writing–even the clasÂsic novÂel Kim–is viewed with ambivaÂlence. The litÂerÂary genius praised by James is often overÂshadÂowed by our conÂtemÂpoÂrary views on the cruÂelÂty and exploitaÂtion of coloÂnialÂism.
“MerÂciÂfulÂly,” says Kipling latÂer in his speech to the CanaÂdiÂan authors, “it is not perÂmitÂted to any one to foreÂsee his or her litÂerÂary elecÂtion or reproÂbaÂtion, any more than it was perÂmitÂted to our ancesÂtors to foreÂsee the just stature of their conÂtemÂpoÂraries…”
You can downÂload Kipling’s works by visÂitÂing our Free Audio Books and Free eBooks colÂlecÂtions.
h/t @Rachel_RK
PerÂhaps more proÂfound than Mr. Kipling’s mesÂsage on telling the truth in writÂing are his furÂry eyeÂbrows. Cheers to Open CulÂture for this great find!